drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

Ha,ha! I didn't mind it Too much, for a little while, either. "Strong beer" no joke. I'm a bit of a hefeweisen (SP?) Fan myself, when I can find them. "Paulaner Hefeweisen" is my absolute favorite. It's heavy, but not overly dark, being a wheat beer. Perfect for a steak dinner, or pizza, or just getting plastered....
DR.K.

427seven

this one's clear and hard, if you werk up a thirst, it's a cutter

skinny z

There aren't many better ways to convalesce.

skinny z

That about says it all!

drknow90rs_ss@y

iTrader: (3)

Lol, right? Makes the time go by faster. It's something like 116 degrees outside right now (Near Phoenix Arizona). I can't think of a better way to while away the time... Certainly not going outside, if I can avoid it!
DR.K.

427seven

it's been too long, but I've begun to sort through the pics and get this going again. Lots to cover, continue with carpet, floor mats, door panel construction and finish upholstery. there will also be a full comparison of the original WS6 steering box compared to the DSE 600, and later on the addition of the new front suspension. this stuff takes a long time to complete when you gotta do it all yerself.....

the DSE box is a very interesting piece, but is it worth it compared to the WS6 box??

soloc4

[QUOTE=427seven;6391217] this stuff takes a long time to complete when you gotta do it all yerself.....

I know what you mean, brother. It also keeps getting harder as I get older.

scholtmj

iTrader: (3)

Looking forward to this review!

427seven

I know what you mean, brother. It also keeps getting harder as I get older.[/QUOTE]


at the beginning of this thread i mentioned lying on my back on the concrete, that was in 2003..... i never gave it a second thought then, but now....I don't consider myself old, but oh boy... I could do without that part of it. or werking under the dash.....

427seven

one of the things I had planned to do when i replaced the carpeting was the installation of floor mat locks. floor mats are one of those things you gotta have to save the carpets, but if you get to three foot driving they have a nasty habit of climbing up between the pedals and giving you the same kind of scare finding a python down there might. (i can already hear the 'third foot IS a python' jokes...... ) these locks are sweet, small, low profile and expensive (not yer auto box store screw in type)



lots of extra werk and trial fitting, but worth it

427seven

once the carpet is finished fitting, so you know it is in the position it's gonna be when installed, the floor mats are positioned where you want them to sit, then marked.



the floor mat anchors must already be installed so you can use them to landmark the main carpet



each anchor has four parts

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Great idea. What brand and part number are those floor mat keepers?

427seven

audi A6 (same part used on the all the A models), sorry don't know part numbers, i'd have to search all my receipts and as you may know, there are PILES of those..... when i got them i just went to the audi dealer and the counterman looked them up fer me



don't get these stuck together before they're in place, you may break them trying to get them apart - friction fit - have to be hammered together.

427seven

punch a hole on yer landmark just big enuf fer the part to come through




give the carpet around the anchor a haircut just big enuf for the top part




the carpet has to be cut out or you will never get the anchor to sit flat down in the carpet




the padding has to be cut out on the backside for the same reason

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

Thanks for the tip.

427seven

427seven

zman1969

iTrader: (9)

neat idea my 69 Camaro has repop (absolute crap) mats. and the drivers mats tiddies have come off but I need new ones of better quality before that my Firehawk Mats are good (lots of pliable tiddies) I mean who don't like pliable tiddies?

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I've always wanted to do this but just to lazy lol. Looks great as always!

V6canvas

iTrader: (1)

Love the floormat anchor idea, the Pontiac G8 has a similar setup if Audi doesn't work for someone also.

427seven

Nothing like em to keep the junk outa yer feet, it IS worth the time it takes.




looks like it's hunting something... wonder what?

Bustionironi

iTrader: (2)

Thread found, mind blown.

TA-hawks-3rdgen

Great to see you are back on it again, the car is awesome and I am impatient to see how that interior gets finished!

427seven

there were some issues associated with having a cage like the one i chose to use. the drivers side kick panel had a bulge in it for the hood release, a part not used in this car. after removing the handle, an aluminum filler was fashioned to cover the hole left by the release handle.






small scarp of leather cut off from the seat upholstery matched perfectly

427seven

the sill covers were also a problem. the lap belt boxes leave a large 'hole' in the sill panel when not in place. if you use a harness or two, but don't want to carry the boxes around, something else has to be done, or you'll just have a hole.




this hole attracts yer eyes, it just looks like it doesn't belong




it would be nice to have a solid panel, but short of that, a panel that looks like it's 'stock' is what this car is all about

427seven

after trying the original sill plates on opposite sides (they actually fit that way), i noticed that the front 6" could be a perfect doner




very noticeable hole




tried em on opposite sides thinking of splicing pairs of them somehow




front 6" looked like a good doner site




didn't want to cut up clean sill covers

427seven

so i got a couple of beaters that needed some serious werk....




these were rough




needed cleaning and paint removal




leave extra so you have meat to werk with




marked what needed removal




werk in slowly, get a tight fit

427seven

427seven

the roll cage is close enuf to the sill that the cover plates had to be notched to clear. do it same as you would to notch tubing for welding




one at the front of the sill cover




really tight, clean fit




new hole covers had to be notched as well




ready for paint

QwkTrip

iTrader: (22)

That's another great idea. My 4th gen seat belts are completely outside the sill plate. This would be a fantastic way to clean things up!

427seven

after painting, buffing with a mix of white and black car wax 'tunes' the color




with the seat in place this is all you see - NO HOLE




bc the filler piece is just more of the same part, it blends really well




most people won't be able to tell that it's supposed to be any other way

427seven

427seven

i think i like the gray belts a bit better than the black ones.....

skinny z

I suppose that would depend of your outfit. You wouldn't them to clash with your ensemble.
But well done as always.

427seven

it has been previously mentioned, this is a project that i wanted to do myself. after doing most of that so far, i believed that upholstery would be one of the easier things i had to do in this car. well after that, i can tell you, if you have the chance, give yer upholsterer a big hug. this was one of the most tedious, tricky, stress inducing jobs that there is - werking on a car - not to mention hardest on yer hands. for me, anyway, putting an engine together, cutting and fitting a cage, and even bodywerk did not wreak the kind of havoc on my hands as did pulling hides and fingering glue. not that i hadn't dun upholstery before, but leather is different than cloth or vinyl. in some ways nicer, but with leather, a mistake is forever, needle holes don't go away by creative means, if you make a mistake, you replace the panel, and in some cases the panels it was attached to. now that i have begun to organize some of the pictures (and forgive me if i do some backtracking - cause they are hidden throughout my computer) it's time to show how some of that stuff came together.


it was a long hard WAY from this.......



......to this

LB9GTA

iTrader: (1)

Hey, just wanted to say that you have amazing attention to detail !
Great job on the GTA!
You are from BC? ( the above pic of your 2nd gen getting stopped by the RCMP, priceless)
I wish I had your skills

427seven

it was alot more werk, but added a detail to the backside. storage is in short supply so a mesh pocket was added over top of the one that came on the seat.



the corbeau had a storage pocket on the backside of the seat, i modified the stock pocket and added it for some extra room

TA-hawks-3rdgen

This looks like it's been worth waiting for, full details PLEASE!!

427seven

because i use a harness, the style of belt retainer that i made for the other seats was kept, but remade in matching leather.

427seven

you bet, so many pics you'll get tired of them.....

scooter

iTrader: (11)

NEVER!

427seven

love those 'titanium' clips.... not sure about the red pull straps, may have to change those out fer black...

427seven

when i first got the car, it had a very nice GTA interior, nice as in unmolested, but I never really liked the styling of the GTA seat, primarily bc of the headrest. when i bought the corbeau seats, i had to find out what the weight savings would be. the stockers weighed in at something a tad over 55 lbs., weigh, way too much.....



bolsters went flat in storage, the corbeau's were just a bit over 30 lbs.

427seven

unnerving or not they had to come apart

427seven

boxes of razor blades, and some of the original parts are glued together, so during disassembly you sometimes have to make tools as you go. this one was used to separate the belt grommet, two parts glued together. fortunately the glue was used sparingly and the parts came apart with some slight hammer assist....



all the original seat cover has to be taken apart and used as pattern



care with these parts means they can be re-used


this had to be a tight fit, so the inner part could be pushed out

427seven

i had been wondering what this 'deformity' was, it started small and had gradually been getting more pronounced.






sometimes you get a surprise, probably a foam defect that began to open up with pressure



some 'steri-strips' and high test glue



found another tear in the seat bolster, the foam had opened up from the bottom and had been taped, so this was there before the seats were shipped

scooter

iTrader: (11)

Those foam defects are disappointing

427seven

it was disappointing, but i believe an aberration, the other seat was perfect, and there is no wear around the fissures. someone just didnt want to take the time to do it right, fortunately i intended to upholster to match my interior, so this was found before any real wear was put in the seat.



with the edges glued through to the back, this can never come apart, so better than new



each seat has over 50 panels that have to be copied and sewn together once they have been ripped from the original

427seven

of those 50 plus panels, the vast majority have 3 layers, all have to be cut, glued together then sewn to pattern before they get sewn together to form the 'bag' or cover



three layers are leather, foam and light cloth



the foam is sandwiched between the leather and the light cloth, necessary to hold the stitching on the backside of the panel

427seven

cut to rough shape after lamination



sewn to pattern



trimmed



sewn together, fit to seat every time a new panel is added